Hat-forming device.



No. 895,810. PATENTED AUG. 11, 1908.

' L. STEVENS.

, HAT FORMING DEVICE APPLICATION FILED NOV. 9, 1907.

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gin-me H loz wi/bmwoeoz I k Lt'oL/E Grams No. 895,810. PATENTED AUG. 11, 1908.

' L. STEVENS.

HAT FORMING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 9, 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

wwwwoao W LEM If Jim [M1 LESLIE STEVENS, OF GLENRIDGE, NEW JERSEY.

HAT-FORMING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 11, 1908. U

Application filed. November 9, 1907. Serial No. 401,384.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LESLIE STEVENS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Glenridge, county of Essex, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hat -Forming Devices, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in hat forming devices, and articularly to a so-called hat flange usefu in forming the brims of both soft and stiff hats for men or women. The flange is of oval outline and has its upper surface of the desired design and configuration to receive the hat brim material which is to be conformed thereto. Ordinarily the hat material is applied to the flange in a more or less moist state and is pressed thereon by means of a hot sandbag. Because of the moisture a certain amount of dam ness is taken up by the flange, with the Fig. 1.

resu t that heretofore a great objection has been their tendency to swell and shrink, warp and crack. ing, swelling or warping changes the oval, and when this occurs to any substantial extent the flange must be discarded.

By my invention the danger of swelling, shrinking and warping is practically eliminated.

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the complete device. Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 3 is a section taken on line XX Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a viewin end elevation of Fig. 1.

My improved flange is composed of two Wooden side sections 11 and two end sections 22. The grain of the two side sections may be in substantially the plane of the flange (see dotted lines Fig. 3). The two end sections are inserted between the two side sections in such a manner as to cause the grain to be arranged out of the plane of the flange (see dotted lines Fig. 3). The parts are secured in any suitable way, for exam le, by the use of an insoluble glue and the ac dition of reinforcing fasteners 3 passing transversely through said parts. The difference in the direction of the grain of the end sections 22 relatively to the direction of the grain of the side sections 11 resists the tendency to war which in such devices occurs mainly at t e ends of theframe. The tendency to swell and shrink is also avoided by my construction, because the flange is made up of several relatively small pieces of Furthermore, any shrinkwood instead of one large piece. By adopting this plan, each piece of wood may be carefully selected and may be more thoroughly dried than it is possible to dry a sin i gle large block. In employing a block of large dimensions to form a onepiece flange, it is impossible to obtain stock which is of uniformity throughout. For example, a

large solid block may have a hard part and also a part which contains sap. The part containing sap will absorb moisture more readily than the other and therefore shrink and swell easier, whereas the harder portion will have a greater tendency to warp.

By my invention a uniform grade of stock may be readily obtained so that when the composite flange is formed the aforesaid dangers are practically removed. Another advantage of arranging the grain of each end section oblique'to the horizontal plane is, that it presents an edge or tip which will not splinter or split off. In devices of this kind it frequently happens that a cord is employed in the groove 4, by which cord the hat material may be stretched over the flange preparatory to and during the process of shaping. This strain, in the event the grain of the end sections is in the same plane as the flange, will tend to split oil the edges of the I flange at the end. This, however, is effectively resisted by my improvement and thus additional advantage is gained by arranging the grain of the end sections as aforesaid.

What I claim is:

1. In a hat forming device, a wooden brim forming flange composed of a series of sections in which the grain in a plurality of sections is in the same plane and at an angle to the plane of the grain in the remaining sections.

2. In a hat forming device, a composite brimforming flange consisting in a series of sections of wood secured together, the grain of the wood in one section being at an angle to the planes of the grain in the other sections.

3. In a hat forming device, a brim forming flange comprising side and end members of wood, the grain in the end members being in a plane at an angle to the grain in the side members.

4. In ahat forming device, a brim forming flange including side members of wood in which the grain lies in the same plane, and end members of wood the grain of which lies in planes at an angle to the planes of the side members.

7 which the grain lies in the same plane, and

end members in which the grain es in different planes and at an angle to the plane of the grain in the side members.

6. A hat brim forming flange formed of a plurality of sections of wood arranged side by side and secured together, including two side sections and two end sections, the grain of the side sections lying substantially in the plane of the flange, the grain of the end sections being arranged at a substantially oblique angle to the plane of the flange.

7. A hat brim forming flange formed of a plurality of sections of wood arranged side by side and secured together, including two side sections and two end sections, the grain of the side sections lying substantially in the plane of the flange, the grain of the end sections being arranged at substantially an oblique angle to each other and to the plane of the flange.

8. A hat brim forming flange formed of a plurality of sections of wood arranged side by side and secured together, including two side sections and two end sections, the grain of the side sections lying substantially in the plane of the flange, the grain of the end sections being arranged at a substantially oblique angle to the plane of the flange, the upper surface of the flange being contoured to the desired brim outline, and a cord receiving groove around the edge of the flange directly underneath said contoured portion.

LESLIE STEVENS.

Witnesses:

MAURICE WIoKNER, JOHN BREWERTON. 

